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MURSOC
1974
FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SHEETS
FISHING AREAS 57,71 (E Ind. ocean) (W Cent. Pacific)
MURAENESOCIDAE
Pike-congers
Eel-like fishes, cylindrical in front, compressed towards tail. Large mouth with upper jaw
extending well behind eye. Fangs (large canine teeth) on vomer (a median tooth-bearing bone on roof of mouth) and at front of lower jaw; tongue not free from floor of mouth. Gill openings large,
separate and placed low on body. Pectoral fins present; dorsal and anal fins long, continuous with
caudal fin; pelvic fins absent. Anus well behind pectoral fin and somewhat before midpoint of body. No scales.
Colour: grey, yellow or white, sometimes almost black on back.
SIMILAR FAMILIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:
Muraenidae: lack pectoral fins.
in Muraenesocidae). Dysommidae: anus below the pectoral fin (well behind
All other eel families: lack large canine teeth on vomer. - 2 -
FAO Sheets MURAENESOCIDAE Fishing Areas 57,71
Key to Genera
I a. Distinct bulge at bases of canine teeth on middle part of vomer ...... Muraenesox
1 b. Canine teeth on vomer conical, or if flattened, then not bulging at bases ...... Congresox
List of Species occurring in the Area (Code numbers are given for those species for which Identification Sheets are included)
Congresox talabon MURSOC Consox 1 Muraenesox bagio MURSOC Mursox 1 Congresox talabonoides MURSOC Consox 2 Muraenesox cinereus MURSOC Mursox 2 I KURSOC Consox 1
1974 FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SHEETS
FAMILY: MURAENESOCIDAE FISHING AREAS 57,71 (E Ind. Ocean) (W Cent. Pacific)
Congresox talabon (Cuvier, 1829)
SYNONYMS STILL IN USE: Muraenesox talabon (Cuvier, 1829)
VERNACULAR NAMES:
FAO: En - Yellow pike-conger Fr - Sp -
NATIONAL:
DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERS:
Eel-shaped fish without scales. Mouth large, upper jaw ending well behind eye. Outer tooth
row in lower jaw leaning outward; middle canines on vomer (roof of mouth) conical (needle-like,
not blade-shaped). Dorsal and anal fins joined to caudal fin; pectoral fins well developed,
their length about 3 times in, length of head.
Colour: head and body yellow. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERS OF SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:
Congresox talabonoides: pectoral fins shorter (length at least 4 times in, length of head;
about 3 times in C. talabon).
Muraenesox cinereus, M. bagio: outer tooth row in lower jaw pointing straight upward and body greyish; also, middle canines on vomer with distinct basal lobes (blade-shaped, not needle- like).
SIZE:
Maximum: 200 cm;
common: about 150 cm.
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION AND BEHAVIOUR:
Coasts of India eastward to Celebes, the Philippines, and South China Sea.
Lives over soft bottoms down to about 100 m; also in estuaries.
Feeds mainly on bottom-living fishes.
PRESENT FISHING GROUNDS:
Caught in coastal waters, mostly at depths around 50 m, throughout its range.
CATCHES, MAIN FISHING GEAR AND PRINCIPAL FORMS OF UTILIZATION:
Separate statistics are not reported for this species.
Caught mainly with longlines at night.
Marketed fresh; predominantly used for fish balls. MURSOC Consox 2
1974 FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SHEETS
FAMILY: MURAENESOCIDAE FISHING AREAS 57,71 (E Ind. Ocean) (W Cent. Pacific)
I Congresox talabonoides (Bleeker, 1853)
SYNONYMS STILL IN USE: Muraenesox talabonoides (Bleeker, 1853)
VERNACULAR NAMES:
FAO: En - Indian pike-conger Fr - Sp -
NATIONAL:
DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERS:
Eel-shaped fish without scales. Outer tooth row in lower jaw leaning outward; middle canines
on vomer conical (needle-like, not blade-shaped). Dorsal and anal fins joined to caudal fin; pectoral fins well developed, their length at least 4 times in length of head.
Colour: head and body yellow.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERS OF SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:
Congresox talabon: pectoral fins longer (length about 3 times in length of head; at least
4 times in C. talabonoides).
Muraenesox cinereus, M. bagio: outer tooth row in lower jaw pointing straight upward and body greyish; also, middle canines on vomer with distinct basal lobes (blade-shaped, not needle- like). SIZE:
Maximum: 200 cm; common: 150 cm.
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION AND BEHAVIOUR:
Coasts of India to Indonesia and Borneo, and off Hong Kong.
Lives over soft bottoms down to about 100 m; also in estuaries.
Feeds mainly on bottom-living fishes.
PRESENT FISHING GROUNDS:
Caught in coastal waters, mostly at depths around 50 m, throughout its range.
CATCHES, MAIN FISHING GEAR AND PRINCIPAL FORMS OF UTILIZATION:
Separate statistics are not reported for this species.
Caught mainly with longlines at night.
Marketed fresh; predominantly used for fish balls. MURSOC Mursox 1
1974 FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SHEETS
FAMILY: MURAENESOCIDAE FISHING AREAS 57,71 (E Ind. Ocean) (W Cent. Pacific)
Muraenesox bagio (Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822)
SYNONYMS STILL IN USE: Muraenesox yamaguchiensis Katayama & Takai, 1954
VERNACULAR NAMES:
FAO: En - Common pike-conger Fr - Sp -
NATIONAL:
DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERS:
Eel-shaped fish without scales. Posterior nostril only a little closer to eye than to anterior nostril; snout long; eye 3 times in length of snout. Mouth large, maxillary ending well behind eye; outer tooth row in lower jaw pointing straight upward; middle canines on vomer with distinct basal lobes, their bases sometimes in contact. Dorsal and anal fins joined to caudal fin; pectoral fins well developed; 35 to 38 pores in lateral line from head to above anus.
Colour: head and body greyish.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERS OF SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:
Muraenesox cinereus: 39 to 47 pores in lateral line from head to above anus (35 to 38 in
M. bagio); also, posterior nostril much nearer to eye than to anterior nostril, and eye 2.0 to 2.5 times in length of snout.
Congresox talabon, C. talabonoides: outer tooth row in lower jaw leaning outward and yellow
in colour. Middle canines on vomer needle-like, not blade-shaped. SIZE:
Maximum: 200 cm;
common: about 150 cm.
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION AND BEHAVIOUR:
Throughout most of northern part of area and southward well down the coasts of Australia but not reaching the southern
coasts; also, westward to East Africa and eastward to Samoa.
Lives over soft bottoms down to about 100 m, also in estuaries.
Feeds mainly on bottom-living fishes.
PRESENT FISHING GROUNDS:
Caught in coastal waters, mostly at depths of 50 to 75 m, throughout its range.
CATCHES, MAIN FISHING GEAR AND PRINCIPAL FORMS OF UTILIZATION:
Separate statistics are not reported for this species.
Caught mainly with longlines at night.
Marketed fresh; predominantly used for fish balls. MURSOC Mursox 2
1974
FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SHEETS
FAMILY: MURAENESOCIDAE FISHING AREAS 57,71 (E Ind. Ocean) (W Cent. Pacific)
Muraenesox cinereus (Forsskå1, 1775)
SYNONYMS STILL IN USE: Muraenesox arabicus (Schneider, 1801)
VERNACULAR NAMES:
FAO: En - Daggertooth pike-Conger Fr - Sp -
NATIONAL:
DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERS:
Eel-shaped fish without scales. Posterior nostril much nearer to eye than to anterior nostril.
Snout short; eye 2.0 to 2.5 times in length of snout. Mouth large, upper jaw ending well behind eye. Outer tooth row in lower jaw pointing straight upward; middle canines on vomer (roof of mouth) with distinct basal lobes, their bases more or less in contact. Dorsal and anal fins
joined to caudal fin; pectoral fins well developed; 39 to 47 pores in lateral line from head to above anus.
Colour: head and body normally quite dark to grey/black.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERS OF SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:
Muraenesox bagio: 35 to 38 pores in lateral line from head to above anus (39 to 47 in
M. cinereus); also, posterior nostril only a little closer to eye than to anterior nostril, and eye 3 times in length of snout.
Congresox talabon, C. talabonoides: outer tooth row in lower jaw leaning outward, and body yellow; also, middle canines on vomer needle-like, not blade-shaped. SIZE:
Maximum: about 200 cm; common: about 150 cm.
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION AND BEHAVIOUR:
Coasts of India, Burma and Malaysia northward to Hong Kong (not Indonesia, New Guinea or Australia).
Lives over soft bottoms down to about 100 m; also in estuaries.
Feeds mainly on bottom-living fishes.
PRESENT FISHING GROUNDS:
Caught in coastal waters, mostly at depths around 50 m. throughout its range.
CATCHES, MAIN FISHING GEAR AND PRINCIPAL FORMS OF UTILIZATION:
Separate statistics for this species are reported by Malaysia only (1972: 1 300 tons).
Caught mainly with longlines at night.
Marketed fresh; predominantly used for fish balls.
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